Shoe construction



Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES ROBERT S. BLAIR, OF SOUTH BEACH, CONNECTICUT.

SHOE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed May 9, 1919.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. BLAIR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Beach, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe Construction, of which the following is a specfication.,

This invention relates to apparel and with regardto its more specific features, to foot O'ear.

c One of the objects is to provide a shoe,

boot or the like, of enhanced durability and comfort, yet relatively inexpensive in construction. p

Another object is to provide an article of the above type, which shall effectively resume and retainvits proper shape when removed from the foot.

Another object is to provide an article of the above type which shall satisfactorily relieve the shock of walking, regardless of the material of the wearing surface of the heel.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

p The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. y

In the accompanying' drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of this invention,

Fig. l, is a View in longitudinal section of my shoe. y

Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional View taken along the line 3 3 in Fig. l, and

Fig. 4, is a plan view of my spring member.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different Views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, I have shown an article of foot gear, in the specific l, a sole 2, having the usual waist portion 3 to accommodate the arch of the foot. I have further shown a heel 4, which may be of leather, wood or any other material, preferembodiment of a shoe, comprising an 'upper' Serial No. 295,877.

ably of good wearing qualities and low cost. I have also indicated the usual inner lining 5 generally' present in shoes.

I prefer to associate with the sole and heel of my shoe, designated by me when taken in combination as the base of the shoe, a spring member S substantially as shown in Fig. 4. This member is of substantially the shape of the shoe base, being somewhat shorter in length and less in width. The spring member comprises a piece of fiat spring steel, preferably sherardized or copper plated, said spring member being fluted lengthwise of the shoe at its tip as shown at 6, to resist transverse bending thereat, and being further curved in cross section near its centre as shown at 7 to stiiien the construction against transverse bending at that part. The spring member is further bent `transversely near the rear, as shown at 8.

The spri'ng member as above described, is preferably associated with the base of the shoe as clearly shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. This member is preferably disposed within the body of the sole member 2, to extend in a plane 9, which is by preference substantially the neutral plane for bending of said sole. The spring member preferably emerges from the top of the waist portion 3 of the sole, as at 10, and its free end extends substantially the length of the heel, as at 1l, and immediately under the inner lining member 5. The heel 4 is preferably provided with a depression or recess 12, eXtending from a point 13 on top of said heel to substantially the rear thereof, said depression being yof ak depth tapering rearwardlf.Y to a maximum substantially at 14. A. pad of sponge rubber or the like l5, is preferably disposed in thel depression l2, and below the curved spring portion 11, but this is not essential. v

The spring member is preferably tapered to an edge around its periphery, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, at 16, to render possible complete enclosure of said spring member within said sole member, without undue strain on the leather, or equivalent, parts of the sole. The spring member is preferably provided with struckup spurs 17 and 18, penetrating upwardly and downwardly into the contiguous leather sole portions. I preferably also provide perforations l), extending' in proximity to titl the contour of said springmember, through wnich perforations may extend a tnread or wire 20, to hold the sole and its spring member in assembled relation.

I preferably provide on both sides of the spring member, a coating 2l of graphite or the like, for purposes of lubrication.

In use, the shoe will relieve the shock of walking more particularly on hard pavement, usually encountered at the heel. IV hen the relatively hard surface of the heel 4, impacts the hard ground, the spring portion ll, will yield substantially about point 13, assuming` substantially the position shown in dotted lines at 22, and compressing the sponge rubber, thus relieving the shoclr upon the wearer. As soon as the foot is raised from the ground, the spring portion 1l, and the sponge rubber member 15, in view of their resiliencyv will again assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. l of the drawings, to relieve the shock for the next step. It is thus seen that I materially relieve the shock of walking by my invention, although I provide my heel with a relatively hard and durable wearinsurface. Lining 5 is preferably provided with a fold 5 to facilitate the above action.

It is also to be noted that in use, my sole will readily yield transversely adjacent the line 3 3, as the spring memberas shown in the drawing, is substantially flat at that portion.

In view of the longitudinal curvature of the spring, however, at the waist portion of the sole 3, no yield will occur at such portion, thus bringing about proper support of the arch of the foot. It is also apparent that the luting of the tip of the spring member as at 6, will prevent the upward or downward bending of the sole at such tip, thus maintaining the upper in properly stretched condition at the tip.

In view of the location of the spring member, at sulistantially the neutral plane for bending of the sole, no substantial amount of relative movement between the spring and contiguous sole portionswill occur in use.

My lubricator 21, however, will permit any small displacement which may occur if the shoe is not manufactured with strict accuracy, to take place without resistance.

Although I have shown a single spring member extending substantially the length of the sole, it is to be understood that I may, if desired, employ only the heel portion of my spring, or only the sole portion therecf, or separate spring members for sole and heel. It is, of course, also obvious that Imay omit, where for special reasons it is desirable, any of the specific conformations, or `local curvatures on my spring member, together with t ir function. It is, however, bc i., `l. in oofl that in these respects I prefer to employ the specific construction shown and described. It is also to be understood that although I have shown my invention as applied to a shoe, it is also applicable to advantage to a boot, sandal or other article of foot gear.

The main spring which is securely positioned between the upper and lower sole portions 2a and ab is a heavy spring member of suiicient strength to maintain the sole flat even after long continued use.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shalL be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

l. In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole member, and a flat metal spring member having a portion substantially the contour of said heel, positioned thereover and spaced therefrom to cushion shocks, said spring member extending forwardly from said heel portion toward said sole and being transversely curved at a portion positioned between said heel and said sole to prevent deformation of said portion and to support the arch of the foot, the spring member being substantially flat at its point of flexure on a fulcrum adjacent said heel.

2. In footgear construction, in combination, a sole comprising upper and lower portions extending parallel, and a flat spring member interposed between said sole mem-- bers and yieldingly holding them in predetermined form, the outer portions of said spring member being tapered to an edge and said sole portions being in contact one with another and stitched together beyond the edge of said spring member.

3. In footgear construction, in combination, a sole member comprising two portions, and a metallic member inserted between said portions adjacent the front end of` the footgear and provided with longitudinally extending corrugations.

l-. In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole member, and a continuous metallic spring member, one portion of which is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of said sole and is secured to and tends to hold said sole in predetermined form extending substantially throughout its length and the other portion of which extends over and is spaced from said heel.

In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole provided with a portion inclined upwardly toward said heel, and a metallic spring member, one portion of which is secured to said sole and transversely curved to prevent deformation thereof and the other portion of which extends over and is spaced from said heel to cushion shocks transmitted therethrough and is substantially at at its point of Hexure on a ulcrum adjacent the heel.

6. In footgear construction, in combination, a sole member, and a spring member secured thereto, said spring member being of flat form throughout a substantial portion of said sole and adapted yieldingly to hold it in position and being transversely curved to prevent bending adj acent the front end of the sole.

7. In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole member, and a continuous metallic spring member, one portion of which is secured to and tends to hold said sole in predetermined form and the other portion of which extends over and is spaced from said heel, said spring member having an intermediate portion transversen ly curved to resist bending.

8. In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole member, and a l continuous metallic spring member, one portion of which is secured to and tends to hold said sole in predetermined form and the other portion of which extends over and is spaced from said heel, said spring member being corrugated adjacent the front end of the sole to resist bending.

9. In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole member having a portion extending upwardly toward said heel member, a substantially Hat portion, and a spring member secured to said flat portion to yieldingly hold it in predetermined form and extending along and secured to said inclined portion to hold it rigidly in predetermined form, said spring member ybeing transversely corrugated adjacent the front end of, the sole to resist bending.

l0. In footgear construction, in combination, a heel member, a sole member, and a continuous metallic spring member, one portion of which is secured to and tends to hold said sole in predetermined form and the other portion of which extends over and is spaced from said heel, said spring member having an intermediate portion and an extreme forward portion both deformed to resist bending about a transverse axis.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 8th day of May A. D. 1919.

ROBERT S. BLAIR. 

